The invention relates to a holder for a beverage container in a motor vehicle.
A holder of that kind is known from DE 198 21 313.1. The known holder has a beverage container receiver, which has an insertion opening for inserting a beverage container such as, for example, a cup, a beaker or a beverage can. The beverage container receiver is mounted on a carriage, which is guided in a vertical direction from a lowered position into a raised position. Instead of the slide guide element, there may also be provided, for example, a scissors guide element or the like. In the known holder, the beverage container receiver is so mounted on the carriage by means of a pivot joint that it can be pivoted from a non-use position into a use position, in which the beverage container can be inserted into the beverage container receiver. In the known holder, the angle of pivot of the beverage container receiver from the non-use position to the use is 90xc2x0 . Other angles of pivot, for example 180xc2x0 , are also possible.
The problem underlying the invention is therefore to construct a holder of the kind mentioned above which is stable when the beverage container receiver is in the user position.
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of present invention resides, briefly stated, in a holder for a beverage container, in which the holder has a movable support for the beverage container receiver, which is moved into a support position supporting the beverage container and receiver on movement of the beverage container receiver into a raised position and/or on pivoting of the beverage container receiver into the use position, and at the same time the support forms a blocking mechanism for the guide device of the beverage container receiver, which blocks lowering of the beverage container receiver in the use position.
The holder according to the invention has a movable support, which supports the beverage container receiver in the raised, use position. By that means, the pivot joint, which otherwise is heavily loaded, has its load reduced. The support can be, for example, spring-loaded so that it moves into the support position automatically. The movement of the support into the support position can also be derived from the raising and/or pivoting of the beverage container receiver. Return of the support can be derived from the pivoting movement of the beverage container receiver into the non-use position. In as much as the movement of the support into the support position is derived from the raising or pivoting of the beverage container receiver, the return of the support can also be effected by spring force.
The support in the holder according to the invention at the same time forms a blocking mechanism, which blocks the guiding of the beverage container receiver in the raised position and, as a result, prevents unintentional lowering of the beverage container receiver. On pivoting of the beverage container receiver into the non-use position, the return movement of the support cancels its blocking action and allows the beverage container receiver to be lowered.
In an embodiment of the invention, the support has a pivot joint in order that it can be mounted on the holder so as to be capable of moving as desired.
In an embodiment of the invention, the beverage container receiver is made of two or, alternatively, more pieces. It has a movable piece, which is attached, for example displaceably or pivotally, to another piece of the beverage container receiver and which, when not in use, can be moved, at least partially, into that other piece. As a result, when not in use, the beverage container receiver can be accommodated in a relatively small space. In the use position, the movable piece of the beverage container receiver abuts a pivot block of the holder, as a result of which the beverage container receiver cannot be pivoted out of the use position into the non-use position when the movable piece of the beverage container receiver has been moved out from the other piece thereof. Because a beverage container inserted into the beverage container receiver prevents the movable piece of the beverage container receiver from being moved into the other piece thereof, this embodiment of the invention prevents pivoting of the beverage container receiver with a beverage container inserted.
In a development of the invention, the pivot block moves the movable piece of the beverage container receiver into the other piece of the beverage container receiver when the beverage container receiver is pivoted from the use position into the non-use position. Because the movable piece of the beverage container receiver, together with the pivot block, prevents pivoting of the beverage container receiver when a beverage container has been inserted, an inserted beverage container must be removed before the beverage container receiver is pivoted.
In an embodiment of the invention, the holder has a locking device, which keeps the beverage container receiver locked in the non-use position when it is in the lowered position and during raising. The locking device is unlocked at the end of raising of the beverage container receiver. In this embodiment of the invention, pivoting of the beverage container receiver during raising is prevented, which has the advantage that skewing or mis-positioning of the beverage container receiver and, as a result, jamming or catching on surrounding components are avoided when the beverage container receiver is being raised. The locking device sets a chronological sequence for initially raising and subsequently pivoting the beverage container receiver into the use position.
In an embodiment of the invention, the holder has a housing, on which the beverage container receiver is guided so that it can be raised. The housing has an opening for the beverage container receiver in its lowered and non-use position. When the beverage container receiver has been raised and pivoted into the use position, the opening in the housing is covered by a covering, especially by a cover flap pivotally mounted on the housing, in order to close the opening. The covering is opened as a result of pivoting of the beverage container receiver into the non-use position and/or lowering of the beverage container receiver opening of the covering is accordingly derived from the movement of the beverage container receiver; the covering does not need to be opened or closed manually.
The invention is described below in greater detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawing.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.